I want to scale, but not sure how to develop my strategy.I have a $200k HELOC and excellent credit worthiness and high income from my day job.

And stop trolling, it's not cute, it doesn't win view's, it will win you ban's.

Mentorship and joint ventures are excellent ways to gain experience, and it’s essential to start small, communicate clearly, and build trust.

Use an excellent property manager. 

If you win out a lien in her house.  

When those elements align, it gives you a buffer to handle the inevitable challenges that come with a fix and flip or hold.The entry price, especially, is such a game-changer—it can turn even a tricky project into a win if it’s favorable enough.You have to be able to put together all the moving parts, and make all the planets align! 

You can easily self manage 1 property with Zillow and Excel.

It's a huge win, and I admit, at the top end in terms of outcomes.Most deals are leaving $5,000 - $15,000 post-refinance but still nicely cash flowing.In short, yes, there's a lot of opportunity in Detroit but you really need to understand the market or work with folks that do.I'd be happy to chat with you or anyone else looking at the market there.

What are some unconventional creative financing strategies you've personally used or encountered in real estate investing that led to unexpected success, and what lessons did you learn from those experiences?

For analytical activities I still leverage trusty Excel and other data crunching tools.